Mobile devices such as cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and smart phones, as well as a variety of other electronic devices, include visual pairing capabilities. Visual pairing is a mechanism for establishing a relationship in which two or more mobile (or other electronic) devices enter into communication with one another, where the relationship is begun when one of the mobile devices displays an image, such as a bar code or text such as a URL (Uniform Resource Locator), and an other of the mobile devices detects and recognizes that image and, upon so recognizing, takes action to communicate with the first mobile device so as to enter into a paired relationship therewith that results in/allows for further communications between the devices.
Visual pairing can involves sets of more than two mobile (or other electronic) devices. In this regard, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram 100 illustrating examples of conventional (Prior Art) visual pairing operations in which not only first and second mobile devices 102 and 104 are paired, but also in which the second mobile device and a third mobile device 106 are further paired. More particularly as shown, the first and second mobile devices 102 and 104 are paired via a first group (or phase) of operations or steps 108, and subsequently the second and third mobile devices 104 and 106 are paired via either of a second group (or phase) of operations or steps 110, or a third group (or phase) of operations or steps 112.
As shown, the pairing in the first group of steps 108 begins when the second mobile device 104 sends a signal (typically wireless) at a step 114 to the first mobile device 102 that is a request for pairing and, in response, assuming that the first mobile device approves of the possibility of such a pairing, the first mobile device then displays (generates) a coded image, as represented by a step 116. The coded image that is displayed can take a variety of forms including, for example as shown, a bar code image 118. Subsequently, as represented by a step 120, the second mobile device 104 captures (e.g., senses or detects, by way of an image sensor or the like) the coded image and decodes the coded image, which again in this example is the bar code image 118. If upon the decoding of the coded image the second mobile device 104 determines that pairing is still appropriate, then at a step 122 the second mobile device transmits data required for pairing and subsequently at a step 123 the pairing of the first and second mobile devices 102, 104 is completed and additional communication (e.g., wireless communication) between those mobile devices then proceeds.
Further as shown, the first group of steps 108 is followed, as indicated respectively by first and second arrows 144 and 146, respectively, with the second mobile device 104 being additionally paired with the third mobile device 106 in accordance with either the second group of steps 110 or the third group of steps 112, respectively. Each of the second group of steps 110 and the third group of steps 112 includes steps that are substantially similar to those of the first group of steps 110 except insofar as, although the initiator of the pairing in the second group of steps 110 is again the second mobile device 104 (as in the first group of steps), in contrast the initiator of the pairing in the third group of steps 112 is the third mobile device 106.
Thus, with respect to the second group of steps 110, the steps 124, 126, 130, 132, and 133 are identical or substantially identical to the steps 114, 116, 120, 122, and 123, respectively, except insofar the steps 126 and 133 involve the third mobile device 106 rather than the first mobile device 102 (which was involved with the steps 116 and 123). Also, in this example, rather than a bar code message being provided as the coded message, at the step 126 instead a text message 128 is shown to be provided as the coded message. Further, with respect to the third group of steps 112, the steps 134, 136, 140, 142, and 143 are identical or substantially identical to the steps 124, 126, 130, 132, and 133, respectively, except insofar the steps 134 and 142 are communications issued by the third mobile device 106 for receipt by the second mobile 104 (rather than vice-versa), it is the second mobile device (rather than the third mobile device) that performs the step 136 involving generation of a coded message, which in this example is a graphical image 138, and it is the third mobile device 140 that captures and decodes that image at the step 140. It should additionally be appreciated that, once the pairing between the second and third mobile devices 104 and 106 is completed at either of the steps 133 and 143, pairing is further established (as indicated) with the first mobile device 102 as well.
Although visual pairing techniques such as those shown in FIG. 1 are known, there remain challenges with such conventional pairing techniques. In particular when a pairing session between one or more pairs of paired mobile (or other electronic) devices within a group of such paired mobile (or other electronic) devices is terminated (e.g., after a pre-defined period of no activity, etc.), it is often inconvenient or difficult for new devices to be paired with the devices within the group. For example, it is often the case that, due to the termination of one pairing within the group, an excessive number of steps need to be performed in order for a new device to be paired with the group.
In view of the above, it would therefore be advantageous if improved methods or systems for improving the communications among such mobile or other electronic devices, in contexts where those devices are paired with one another, could be developed.